


between the drinks and subtle things

by justpalsbeingals



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: 5 Times, 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bartender Sara Lance, F/F, ava is good at one night stands in this one, just attracts all the other lesbians in the world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:48:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24633355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justpalsbeingals/pseuds/justpalsbeingals
Summary: “Vodka martini, extra dirty.  Stirred.”“Stirred not shaken?” she questions, taking a sip of the drink.“Shaken’s for lightweights who like their booze watered down.” The words are spoken like they’re a fact. Ava lets out a small chuckle.“Extra dirty?”“Seemed fitting for you.”orFive times Ava goes to Sara’s bar for a drink and one time she doesn’t (because I love a good 5+1, no matter how old the format is)
Relationships: Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe
Comments: 14
Kudos: 180





	between the drinks and subtle things

**Author's Note:**

> Present tense so does not come easy for me so I'm pushing myself to become a little more comfortable with it
> 
> Hope someone gets enjoyment out of my ramblings; cheers!

i. 

Ava pulls herself onto the barstool with a heavy sigh. It’s a Friday night, but early. Verdant is far from crowded at this hour. Tonight is her first in Star City. 

The day had been spent moving into a new apartment; the hours passed quickly as Ava carried the furniture with the movers and unpacked her belongings methodically. After a trip to the grocery store for essentials and a microwavable instant dinner, the blonde woman found herself at the bar. While she waited to get the attention of the bartender, Ava perused her thoughts.

A new job brought her away from Vegas to Star City. Away from any familiarity. Away from her ex. At least that was one good thing about the blank walls of her new apartment. A place devoid of decorations and pictures couldn’t remind Ava of the past. 

A sultry voice pulls Ava from her brooding. 

“Hey.” Ava raises her eyes to meet starting blues. The freckled woman in front of her smiles. “What are you drinking tonight?”

Whiskey. It’s always a whiskey. But then Ava thinks about who she used to drink whiskey with and she falters. 

“Surprise me.”

The bartender smiles a little wider at the words. “You got it.” 

A minute later she’s back, martini glass in hand. “Vodka martini, extra dirty. Stirred.”

“Stirred not shaken?” she questions, taking a sip of the drink.

“Shaken’s for lightweights who like their booze watered down.” The words are spoken like they’re a fact. Ava lets out a small chuckle.

“Extra dirty?”

“Seemed fitting for you.”

Ava’s mouth opens, then closes, then opens again, no words falling out at the insinuation. She settles instead for another mouthful. 

“Let me know if you need anything else.” The bartender couples the words with a wink, before moving her way to the newest patron at the end of the bar. 

Right as Ava is about to finish the last drop of her martini, the freckled woman is back to ask if she wants another. Ava nods in affirmation. As she fixes the beverage, she asks Ava, “So, what’s someone like you doing drinking along on a Friday night?”

Ava blows out her cheeks, pushing out a long breath before responding, “Just moved here.”

“Today?” She cocks an eyebrow. 

“New job.”

“Congratulations.” The bartender slides the glass over the counter, a warm expression on her face. “You don’t have to be drinking alone tonight.”

Ava furrows her brows in response. “And why’s that?”

A sideways nod points Ava towards a brunette at the end of the bar. Long hair tumbles over her shoulders. The woman waves her fingers.

Ava’s head snaps back towards the blonde in front of her. “She’s not really my type.”

“Beautiful women aren't your type?” Her cockeyed smile says she doesn’t believe that. Never in a million years would she think Ava was straight. 

Her eyes roll halfway before Sara is beckoning the woman to Ava’s side. Had she gotten the chance, Ava would have told her she was more into blondes.

“Dinah, meet my good friend…” she trails off to look back at Ava expectantly. 

“Ava.” Ava extends a hand towards Dinah, who accepts it gently. 

“I’ll leave you two ladies to it then.” She jolts her eyebrows once more, an allusion about the night to come, before slinking down the bar.

Meeting someone wasn’t her plan for the night. But Dinah Drake is certainly beautiful and Ava needs to fill her apartment with some sort of memories. Which is how she finds herself anything but alone for her first night in Star City.

ii.

The first week in her new job had been pleasant, all things considered. Sure, it was filled with slightly more awkward small talk than Ava preferred, and it may have included three visits to Human Resources to get paperwork settled, but it was a job as good as any. Still, she deserved a break. So for the second Friday in a row, Ava is settled on a barstool inside Verdant. 

“Back so soon, Ava?” A chipper voice greets the taller woman moments after she takes a seat.

“Just couldn’t stay away from your martinis, uh--” Ava fumbles over the end of her sentence, realizing she never got the name of the freckled woman in front of her.

“Sara,” she offers, before continuing, “So, will it be another martini then?”

“How about a gin and tonic?”

Sara shoots finger guns towards Ava, a signal of _coming right up._ As she pours ice into the glass, Sara resumes their conversation. “Good first week?”

“Good enough.” Ava shrugs at this. There was really nothing special about it. “No complaints.”

“At least you had a fun weekend before then, hm?” 

Ava huffs with a smile at the thought. “One could say that.”

“I did say that.” The quip is accompanied with the sound of a drink moving across the table. “You seem to draw the eye of a lot of people in this club.”

As she swallows the first gulp of the gin and tonic, Ava asks, “What do you mean?”

Sara opens both palms to gesture side to side. 

“You should look around Ava. Plenty of people for you to go home with. Plenty of women that are looking for a good time.”

“Flattered, but that's not really why I came here.”

“Are you sure? Because you’ve got company.”

Sensing a presence on her right, Ava turns. 

“Is this seat taken?” It’s spoken by a woman with shoulder length auburn hair curled back and away from her face. Ava motions towards the stool next to her which she immediately fills. 

“Alex Danvers.” Alex smiles and bites at her bottom lip for a second, a blush coming to her cheeks. Ava can immediately pick up on her nervousness; it isn’t hard to see that Alex doesn’t do this often.

“Ava Sharpe.”

“So the, but the, the thing is, uh--” The flustered woman in front of her only appears to be getting more ruffled as she attempts to get the words out.

“Do you want to come back to my place?” Ava is startled by the words that come out of her mouth. She just said she didn’t come here for that reason. On the other hand, she put in work this week. She deserved a little fun.

“Wow that's, um, brazen.” Ava feels the flush about to burn across her own face at the rejection before Alex finishes her statement. “But yeah, yes. Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes.” 

Ava leaves a ten on the bar for Sara before scooting off the barstool, Alex in tow. Sara gives an emphatic thumbs up at the sight of the two women. Ava could swear she sees the bartender mouth _you go girl_ as she heads for the door.

iii. 

It has been an absolutely hellish three days. Week one may have tricked Ava into believing that her new position as Finance Director at Star City City Hall was typical, but the start to week two revealed the truth. The previous director left a mess of outdated expense reports, poor accounting practices, and a budget with thousands of dollars unaccounted for. That, combined with the revelation the City Manager Ava was to report to had no interest in ensuring the city had enough money, was enough to give anyone a headache. 

It was definitely enough to make Ava desperate for a drink on a Wednesday night. Sara flashes her signature smile when Ava approaches the counter, but before she can even let out a greeting, Ava cuts her off.

“Scotch. Double.” 

At the urgency, Sara complies, not saying anything else to Ava until a drink is in her hand. 

“Rough day?”

Judging by the swiftness at which the drink is gone, rough is an understatement. Sara is already pouring more into the glass when Ava responds, “Rough week.”

“I can tell. Wanna talk about it?” Ava answers with another chug. “Nevermind then.” 

Ava is far from the first person to stumble into Verdant on a bad night. Having worked here long enough Sara considers herself excellent at judging what someone needs. Which is why she’s surprised when Ava says, “I would love to talk.”

Sara holds up a finger and mouths _one sec_. Someone has called for her attention a few seats down. She jettisons down to fill their request before setting her stance in front of Ava.

“Tell me about your shitty week.”

Ava rattles off the long list of complaints about her new position to Sara’s attentive eyes. She only takes a few breaks for Sara to step to other customers. Five drinks and fifty minutes into the night, Ava finally feels herself calming down, some of the stressors of the day lifting off her shoulder as she talks to Sara. That, and the alcohol is catching up to her fast. 

Sara spends the conversation listening attentively to the woman in front of her. Even with the vexation in her voice, Ava speaks with direction and power that is hard not to admire. When Ava’s words start to slur, and the sharpness in her voice begins to wane, Sara offers her a water. It’s quickly accepted. 

The refreshing liquid brings Ava to her senses. 

“I really just dumped all of that on you. I’m so sorry, Sara.”

The bartender brushes it off. “You’re not the first, trust me. Besides, I like listening to you talk.”

She doesn’t mean it that way. Okay maybe she does. Ava definitely interprets it that way, because she’s suddenly tongue tied, the flush from the alcohol deepening to a scarlet. The bumbling blonde is interrupted before she tries to formulate a response. 

“At the risk of sounding lewd, I’ve been watching you from a few seats down. If you’re interested…” A blazer-wearing woman standing to Ava’s left passes over a business card between cherry-red fingernails, then makes an about face and returns to her seat. 

Ava’s jaw drops as she glances over the card. _Lena Luthor. L-Corp CEO. Philanthropist._ It also includes a personal and work number. Ava flicks her eyes to the dark haired woman as she nurses a scotch, before she returns her gaze to Sara.

Sara wears a gummy smile. “You know, I used to be the one all the women were drawn to around here.”

“I didn’t even do anything.” It’s almost a mumble, as if Ava is ashamed by the interactions she’s had the past few times in the club. 

“We all like to have fun, don’t worry.”

“I don’t normally do that.” 

Sara hums noncommittally at the statement. It’s not judgmental, but it doesn’t hide the fact that she’s watched Ava take home a different woman for the past two weeks. Sara’s more impressed than anything. Sara’s ability to flirt was a combination of natural bravado and plenty of opportunities to practice. Ava’s mere presence was somehow enough to draw women to her, even when she was slamming back cocktails on a rough night. It might even be working on Sara.

Ava stands up, takes a second to find her legs beneath herself. 

“I should go. I have to be at work early to deal with this mess.” She slides cash across the bar top. “Thank you for listening to me complain.”

The corners of Sara’s mouth raise once again. “Anytime. And, Ava? Why not consider Lena’s offer.” 

iv.

The next two days do nothing to mitigate the horror Ava experienced during the first half of the week and by Friday she is itching for any sort of relief. 

She’s back in Verdant, perched on the stool that feels reserved for her. Ava is vaguely aware she’s becoming a regular here. Not that she really cares. As she looks down at Sara leaning over the bar, Ava can’t help but think that the company is more than good enough. 

After a minute, Sara finishes with the patron she is serving, and her eye is drawn to a cascade of blonde hair. She saunters up to Ava, places her elbows on the bar, and drops her head into her hands. Sara’s cocky smirk is inches away from Ava’s mouth.

“Couldn't stay away from me, huh?” 

“I still haven’t bought alcohol for my place.” It’s not a lie. Ava went shopping yesterday and skipped over the liquor section completely. Maybe it was subconscious, a latent decision to ensure she had a reason to see the woman in front of her. 

The way Sara’s eyebrows raise tells Ava her excuse isn’t believed. Ava feels the need to elaborate. “Also, my week has in no way improved. Being here is better than being alone and stressed.”

“Sounds like you could use some stress relief.” There is no question about what she's implying, but Ava doesn’t bite. Even though Sara just hit the nail on the head.

“I’ll take a beer.”

“That’s all?” Suspicion clouds her pitch. Ava responds with a shake of her head. She really shouldn’t. But then she’s pulling the business card out of her wallet. Her thumb flicks over the corner putting small creases into the thick card stock.

The familiar harmony of glass hitting the bar top rings out before Sara’s reply, “Heeding my advice I see?”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” 

“It would be flattery if you were considering me.” 

The beer gets stuck in Ava’s throat and comes dribbling down her chin with a rough cough. After a ragged breath, she manages to spit out a retort that lands a little less witty than intended. “Just how cocky are you?”

“Wanna find out?” Sara’s smug lip curl opens to a full smile when she sees the bewilderment in Ava’s eyes. Sara nods her head towards the business card still in Ava’s hands. Her index finger jabs down and the card lands in the condensation from Ava’s glass. “Or, you could call Lena.”

Ava exhales through slow pursed lips. She drums her fingertips on the sides of her drink.

“Plus, rumor has it she has long fingers. If you know what I mean.” Sara's words are accompanied with the come hither gesture. If Ava somehow missed the implication, now nothing was left to the imagination.

“I couldn’t possibly _not_ know what you mean.” 

Ava reaches for her cell phone in her back pocket despite herself. In the name of stress relief. And long fingers.

v.

It’s become something of a tradition. Friday nights, a few drinks, Ava and Sara chattering away between runs for refills and napkins. Routinely, some woman will hit on Ava. More often than not, it’s Sara, covered up as a wisecrack. 

Ava notices. And mostly she dismisses it for the banter that it is, but after a while it's too much to ignore.

Sara knows exactly what she’s doing when Ava comes in this particular evening. She spots Ava just as she slides onto the same stool as always, and rather than immediately come to her aid, Sara makes a point to walk right past her without a glance. Sara leans over the wood of the bar in front of a customer three seats down, her back arched and ass pushed out.

Sara takes her time serving, but she can feel the eyes on her. She doesn’t need to look to know that Ava is leering. 

Ava, for her part, tries to avert her eyes. But it had been weeks of relentless flirting and her resolve was starting to wane. Sara was not the type of person who was easy to ignore. And even if she were, she is exactly Ava’s type.

After several painfully drawn out minutes Sara finds her way over to those grey-blue eyes that have been staring her down. She wears a sly expression as she starts putting together a drink, not waiting for Ava to make a request.

"You know you’re a tease, right?” Ava is shaking her head at the woman in front of her.

“I know you like it.” The ribbing with Ava is far too easy.

“Do I now?” 

Ava attempts to put an inflection of doubt into her words; all she succeeds in doing is inciting another crack from Sara.

“Remember what I said the first day you came in?” Sara pops two olives into a martini glass before sliding it between Ava’s palms. “Extra dirty.” 

An exasperated exhale leaves Ava’s lungs. “You’re too much. And you’re projecting.”

“Why don’t you find out?”

For all the weeks of back and forth, Ava has done nothing more than bite her tongue at the insinuations Sara has put out there. At this point, she really has nothing to lose.

“Okay, your place or mine?”

Sara’s chin jerks up at this, trying to see if Ava is serious. The look on her face reveals little. Ava raises her eyebrows waiting for a response. 

Just as Sara is about to respond, a commotion breaks out at the corner of the bar. There’s two guys throwing punches and drawing a crowd towards them. Sara huffs as she jogs to break up the fight before the bouncer even leaves his position at the door. 

When she returns, Ava is still expecting an answer. 

Sara bites her bottom lip. 

“Mine?”

+i. 

The warm heat of sun rays tickle Ava’s eyelids and pull her from the lull of sleep. She lets out an audible groan. It’s a little too early for her to be up, a little too cold as she curls the comforter closer to her chest. Ava squeezes her eyes shut in an attempt to block out the light, but it's no use. Sounds of living carry from the kitchen.

The blonde wraps herself in a robe before pattering downstairs. She’s welcomed to the first floor by the aroma of coffee in the air. 

“God, I love you.”

Sara is leaning over the center island, mug in hand. She greets her girlfriend with a kiss before grabbing another cup and filling it with coffee from the pot. As she stirs in Ava’s signature three sugars, Sara goads, “How come it’s always me making your drinks?”

It’s the same playful tone Sara always has with her, but it’s underlaid with a love and understanding that’s developed between them over the past five months. Ava snakes up to hug the shorter woman from behind, hands wrapping around her waist. She drops her chin onto Sara’s shoulder. 

Ava doesn’t answer, instead planting a kiss at the junction of Sara's neck and shoulder. Sara doesn’t press the question; she’s content with mugs on the counter, the smell of coffee, and the arms of her girl. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> @justpalsbeingals on tumblr


End file.
